Promise to put care first, Jeremy Hunt tells NHS managers

All NHS managers should sign up to new standards pledging that care and
compassion is the at the heart of their work, in the aftermath of the
Mid-Staffs and other scandals, Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary has said.

Managers have been too focused on targets and finances and have 'lost sight' of the quality of patient care, Mr Hunt said, as new standards were issued covering how NHS managers should work.

It follows widespread failures at Mid-Staffordshire Foundation trust where hundreds of patients were found to have died needlessly and in squalor.

The Francis Inquiry into the scandal is due to report early next year and may include recommendations to licence NHS managers so those who oversee such failures cannot simply resign and move on to other health service jobs.

There was also public outcry at abuse of patients at the Winterbourne View care home.

Board members of all NHS organisations should sign up to the voluntary code, experts said.

The standards are based on seven core values, responsibility, honesty, openness, respect, professionalism, leadership and integrity.

The new Standards challenge managers to take responsibility for their own decisions, to challenge the behaviour of others, and to recognise and resolve conflicts of interest.

Mr Hunt said: ‘We have many dedicated and hard working managers in NHS hospitals and care homes.

"But we've seen cases where some managers seem to have lost sight of the fact that keeping control of care is as important as keeping control of finances – which is why the Professional Standards Authority's new standards are hugely valuable. They put care, compassion and respect for patients at the heart of leadership, which is exactly as it should be.

"We will continue to look at how NHS managers can be better supported and these values put at the heart of management, learning from the findings of the inquiries into Mid Staffordshire and Winterbourne View as they are published."

The standards were commissioned by former Health Secretary Andrew Lansley, last year, and were produced by the Professional Standards Authority, which oversees the nine organisations that regulate healthcare professionals such as the GMC.

Set out as a series of pledges, the four page document said: "I will seek excellence in clinical care, patient safety, patient experience and the accessibility of services."

Katherine Murphy, chief executive of The Patients Association, said: "We welcome any new standards which drive improvements in the quality of NHS Board Members as well as priority they place on patient safety, the quality of services and outcomes.

Lessons from the past have shown only too starkly how important leadership is, as well as the close link between poor governance and poor care. Patients deserve to have confidence in the skills of those making key decisions about the way health services are run and care is provided."

Harry Cayton, chief executive of the Authority said: "These standards are the result of wide-ranging engagement and consultation across the sector, and we have been tremendously encouraged by the positive responses we received.

"We welcome the Secretary of State’s support and his commitment to continuing improvement in the quality of leadership and management in the NHS.

"NHS leaders must justify the trust that patients and the public place in them, and we look forward to the Standards being put into practice."

Mike Farrar, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: "These standards clearly set out what patients, staff and the public should expect from every board member in the NHS.

"It is particularly encouraging to see the emphasis placed on dignity and compassion, and living up to the recommendations of our joint Dignity Commission. The successful management of any NHS organisation depends on putting patient care at the heart of all decisions.

"NHS boards and managers work hard to deliver these values in practice and these standards will help to make this more visible to the public and patients we serve."